Cognition and Language Laboratory

Location: 7307

Mission Statement

Research in the Cognition and Language Laboratory focuses on the interaction among different cognitive functions and language processes in children and adults. The main goal is to examine how various cognitive functions, such as working memory, inhibition, and attentional capacity impact language comprehension and production in different populations. We examine specific executive function processes and consider how these develop in monolingual and bilingual individuals, how they may influence or be influenced by language processing, and how they are affected in specific clinical populations, such as children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI). This research is based on behavioral testing including online tasks and neuropsychological measures.

Current Research

Our current research focuses on the development of cognitive flexibility including inhibition, attention switching, and working memory. We are also investigating the association between these cognitive functions and language comprehension in various populations across the lifespan. We are interested in the following research questions:

Do different populations with neurodevelopmental disorders show similar deficits in executive functions?

How do executive functions interact with language processing?

How does the relationship between executive functions and language change over the course of the lifespan?

Which theoretical models of cognitive flexibility can best describe specific behavioral findings related to executive functions?